Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Not Urgent, Mr Speaker?

(Malaysiakini reports today (“Motion to debate “bloody ceramah” rejected; 11.09.2007)) that the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat rejected for debate an urgent motion moved by Salahudin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) to debate the tragedy of Pantai Batu Buruk. The primary reason for this rejection was reported as there being no urgency as the matter was “just a riot” that was under investigation by the police. The Speaker however appears to have agreed that it was a matter of public interest)

Violence, aggression and arrogance. These are the walls behind which our leaders claim to be protecting democracy. They are the walls that keep us away from a fair, just and accountable government. From democracy.

Democracy can only flourish on a bed of truth. Information is key to our freedom of choice. The search for truth, if effected by peaceful means, can never amount to a threat to national security.

The suggestion that a peaceful gathering of Malaysians interested in hearing a viewpoint, alternative or otherwise, could be prejudicial to security or a disturbance of the peace is insulting.

It is insult to those who were present at Pantai Batu Buruk. It is an insult against those of who attended the demonstrations against petrol and toll hikes. It is an insult against any right thinking Malaysian who believes in the freedoms our constitution enshrines. It is an insult to those who struggled before us to pave the way to Merdeka.

Peaceful gatherings are a means of expression throughout the world. This is more so where other forms of expression have been curtailed. It is only in nations where there is no rule of law or the rule of law has broken down that peaceful gatherings are deemed to be a threat to national security. We appear to be such a nation. Time and time again, reports have been issued about the use of force to disperse peaceable gatherings. Time and time again, these reports have alluded to the underlying freedom to assemble and express. Time and time again we have only had more violence in response.

Two Malaysians were shot for making the mistake of assuming that they had a right to defend their constitutional right to free choice. A right to defend themselves against the violence used to quash their freedoms. We are told that they were shot as a matter of self-defence. The question is whose?

Does it matter that they and the hundreds who were trampled under jack-boots, pummeled with batons, pulverized by high pressure water jets laced with chemical additives even as they struggled against the tear-gas did not have the means to defend themselves? Does it matter that the police waged a campaign of aggression as a part of a strategised campaign and given the means to participate?

The struggle for merdeka began long before the Union Jack was lowered. It began long before the diplomacy began. The struggle for merdeka began as an understanding in the hearts of those who saw a life beyond colonization. In attempting to map out their vision, some of them risked arrest, prosecution and brutality at the hands of the colonial authorities then. They accepted that risk, paving the way for the negotiations that gave us our freedom. That gave us Merdeka.

And does it matter that the tragedy of Pantai Batu Buruk would not have happened if the powers that be had allowed these Malaysians to do what it is that they had come to do? To listen.

Malaysians are not the enemy. Our blood, sweat and tears nourish the soil we stand on. Tanah tumpahnya darah ku. The blood shed - be it from having been beaten by batons, or pummeled with fists, or kicked with boots and now from a gunshot - is being shed by Malaysia. For when we bleed it is the nation that bleeds.

Guns, water-cannons, tear-gas canisters, batons, shields, sticks and stones. Prosecutions, jail, detention without trial. They cannot, must not be allowed to, stand in the way of truth.

Freedom is our birthright. Malaysian blood is being shed over that freedom. Is that not a matter of urgency?

Threat to UMNO or BN's two-third majority is a far greater danger to the security of the country than, lets, say, Indonesia building its defence arsenal. That is the BN government's policy.

Having said that, then it is only right for the people who voted them in to conduct their affairs in a manner that does not cause them to fear!

This is crazy of course but I guess this might be one of the many despot countries where everythign works backwards. It is not so much for the benefit of the country and the nation but for the continued rule of the BN and UMNO in particular that all the different institutions are focused on serving.

This is why it is not good honest people lead these institutions. You need hooligans and gangsters and losers basically to lead these institutions which enforce the law to ensure UMNO prevails!

U hit it on the nose. The Rakyat (or more importantly the electorate) are no longer important. They are a docile herd of sheep that will follow the inducements and vote as directed.

The government is no longer concerned with the people.

There appears to be a conspiracy to dethrone MCA, Gerakan & MIC. If all these 3 parties can be marginalized, then the Social Contract can be thrown out as it is no longer viable as the MCA & MIC are no longer the parties that assisted the government coalition.

It is the UMNO seats that have to be taken down with powerful PKR & PAS candidates.